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Moose on the Porch Quilts!

My name is Konda Luckau. I have been long arm quilting for many years, and now I am writing pattern books. This started when I fell in love with charm packs a few years ago. I am sure many of you can relate. Most of my patterns are written for charm squares (except you can make your own charm squares out of layer cakes, fat quarters, yardage, or scraps). Check out my books at my website:
http://www.moosequilts.com/

1) First lay out your quilt. When you are doing this, try to balance your blocks. Spread out strong colors. A design wall is nice to be able to hang the blocks, leave them, and come back with fresh eyes. Don't worry if you don't have a design wall. Grab your digital camera and look at your quilt through the camera. It gives you a different perspective. One other tip is to squint. It sounds silly, but I do it all the time.

2) Once you have the blocks the way you want, you can start sewing. Assemble each row sewing a sashing rectangle between each block as shown:

3) Also sew three sashing rows together with 3 sashing rectangles and 2 of the 2 1/2" squares from the border fabric as shown:

4) Sew the rows together by sewing a sashing row between each row of blocks as shown below. This center should measure 40 1/2" x 54 1/2."

5) Now for the borders. First the sashing border. Take the 6 sashing strips. Sew them into two long strips that are each 3 strips long. Take one of these long strips and cut the left and right borders from it. The left and right borders should measure 54 1/2" long. Sew these on first. Press and measure your quilt and cut the borders the size of your quilt.

6) Then sew on the top and bottom borders. Take the other long sashing border strip. Cut two pieces 44 1/2" long from it. Once again, make the borders the size of your quilt.

7) Now for the last border. Once again, sew the outer border strips into 2 sets of 3 strips. From these strips cut 4 pieces 58 1/2" long. First sew on the left and right borders. Then sew on the top and bottom border.

8) That's it! For the backing, take the 3 3/4 yards, cut it in half (or two pieces about 67" long) and sew them back together along the selvage. You will need a twin size batt. Quilt it by hand, machine, or by checkbook, and then bind. For the binding you will need 7 -- 2 1/2" strips. I do have a binding tutorial HERE if you are interested.

Alternate layouts:

For my swanky quilt, I decided to forego the sashing and just sew the blocks together. I was going to make the borders the same size, but I didn't have enough fabric. The first border is cut 2." The second border is 5." The quilt measures 48" x 60." I am surprised at how much I like it.

Also, I got this picture from a fellow quilter, Terry. HERE is her blog post about this quilt. Terry made just nine blocks. I think a couple of the blocks are her own design. I love her pieced border.

So put your quilt together however you choose. Did you only finish 3 blocks? Make a table runner. 4 blocks? Make a baby quilt or a table topper. 7 blocks? Make a baby quilt out of 6 blocks and put the 7th on the back as the label. Just finish it!!!!

Than post your pictures on Flickr so we can all revel in the fun quilts whether you use my finishing instructions or not.

Drawing Dates:

Monday, August 16th from the Flickr pool
Monday, August 30th from the Flickr pool
Monday, August 30th from the Participants Blog Post

Information for Locals:

For those of you who live around here, I would love to see these quilts in either the Peteetneet Quilt Show in June or the Spanish Fork Pioneer Day Quilt Show on, well, Pioneer Day during their Fiesta Days. Those are two shows I am involved with. If you don't live around here, consider putting your quilt in one of your local quilt shows. It is so fun to see you quilt hanging with other lovely quilts. You get to see it in a different perspective.

I wanted to participate in this so badly but have not had the time.I have been following your progress though! I am going to do it this fall and have my quilt ready to send to my mom for Fiesta Days. I live in Texas now but am a native Spanish Forker.

Your quilts are lovely. Thanks for sharing and posting setting instructions. My blocks are done, I just need to select sashing and border fabric. Thanks for all your hard work, the quilt-along was fun!

This has been a wonderfull journey - every monday I have been eager to look for the new block. The first four was done one time. Then work and vacation came in the way. The last eight was therefore done Thursdag - Sunday this week. It was great fun!!!!!Thank you so much. I am now working on sashing and border - will definetely try to be ready for the August 30th. I loved it - again THANK YOU !!!!!!

Thank you very much for hosting this fun quilt along. I really appreciate all of the time you put into organizing it, and posting each time. I really like that you included suggestions for alternative finishing ideas. It will be really neat to see what everyone does with their blocks. Thanks again.

BIG Thank you,Konda from me as well. All the way from Norway!I have enjoyed making these samplers with my Prairie Paisley. I like my blocks,cann`t wait to sew them all together.There are so many lovely Jelly Rolls participating. It will be great to seeing everyone soon showing their own quilt.